Unwanted Crows

[patchett]

Please does any one know how to get rid of these birds in my garden?They eat all the food put out for the smaller birds,pull the feeders off the trees and I've just spotted one pecking all my trailing plants off! Son suggests killing one and hanging it up !!!!!!!!!!NO CHANCE.would be grateful for advice.

[Tilly2]

Build a scarecrow.

[islandman]

We too have them despite all the seagulls. What we've noticed is that they seem to be quite nervous, you only have to open the back door and they fly away, we tap on window and they go. My opinion is that they hate being startled, so if you startle them repeatedly, they might associate being frightened with your garden and not return. They must have a memory, otherwise they wouldn't return to your food.

[patchett]

Have thought of that Tilly2(love your dog)so will get great grandchildren to help.I agree with you islandman about tapping on window and they all fly off will have to get something that keeps making noise and risk getting fed up with that.The noise in the morning is awful.Many thanks to you both

[Tilly2]

When you build your scarecrow, hang some old compact discs in a chain from its arms. They will twirl in the breeze and startle the crows.
However, this might scare off the other birds too. I don't know.

[Old_Geezer]

Get a cat.

Or take advantage of the situation http://bertc.com/subf...ecipes/threecrows.htm

[rowanwitch]

give them something they prefer eating cheap meaty dog kibble soaked in water works they love it and will ignore the other stuff Magpies prefer to dunk their own if you leave a dish od water on the ground near it... as a bonus hedgehogs or foxes may hoover up the left overs at night

[jomifl]

Crows are wonderful creatures and more intelligent than the average cat. Why don't you put the bird food out in such a way that the crows don't have access to it and try putting less food out and in smaller pieces. We used to have crows at he back of our garden in the UK but they only came into the garden if we put food out in huge quantities or were looking for nesting material such as twigs or moss.

[rowanwitch]

They love interesting nest material when we clipped our long haired cat they would fly off with huge beakfuls of clippings rare bearded crows sighted in Weoley Castle

[jomifl]

Hi Rowan, I wonder how many twitchers were looking up 'Bearded Crows' on the web? Crows and Rooks have very fussy twig requirements, they have to be flexible and about 6-8 inches long. I once had a lot of green twig prunings so chopped them to the right length and left a small pile of them on the lawn, they went the same day!

[patchett]

Thank you every one for your answers.Don't know about crow stew or pie though!!Will try to make bird tables crow proof and put out smaller amounts of food and get the scarecrow up down the back garden away from back lawn where the smaller birds feed.Once again Answerbankers have been a great help.Many thanks

[rowanwitch]

and I used to leave sparkly stuff for the magpies usually the lametta on the old christmas tree and scraps of sparkly ribbon the starlings liked the smaller bits

[jomifl]

Toes, I have mentioned on AB a couple of times that I once hand reared a crow that had fallen (clad only in a mohican haircut) from its's nest. They are uncannilly intelligent and resourceful and very affectionate. Having my eyelashes groomed (very gently)by large black bird with a bloody great beak is a memory I'll never forget :-)

[rowanwitch]

You are not the guy from Springwatch are you Jomifli

[jomifl]

No.

[jomifl]

Toes, everyone that met the crow was enchanted by it except for one man who was terrified. We were very sad when it became adult and tactfully took it's leave, but very glad that it had joined the wild crows and hopefully lived a full and worthwhile life :-)